1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for supporting intravenous tubing or a central venous catheter near the point where it connects to an injection cap so the injection cap is held steady. The apparatus finds particular utility in home health care settings.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In an effort to minimize the ever increasing costs of health care, many patients, insurance companies and health maintenance organizations have turned to providing medical care in the patient's home. Often, such home health care programs involve periodic intravenous injections of medicine and other substances. The most efficient means for accomplishing such injections is by administering the substances either through an injection port or cap that is connected by intravenous tubing to an intravenous catheter inserted into the patient's body or through an injection cap that is connected to a central venous catheter inserted into the patient's chest.
An intravenous (IV) delivery system inserted into a medical patient's extremity customarily includes an IV catheter inserted into a vein which is connected by IV tubing to an injection cap. Typically, there is about 4 to 6 inches of IV tubing between the injection cap and the point in a patient's body where the IV tubing is attached to the IV catheter. To administer an IV medication, the injection cap is punctured by a needle attached to a syringe or accessed by another delivery instrument.
An IV delivery system inserted into a medical patient's chest customarily is one of two types. First, there may be an IV catheter inserted into a vein which is connected by IV tubing to an IV injection cap. A second type of system uses a central venous catheter which is inserted into the patient's chest and has a line extending outside the body with an injection cap attached to the end of the line. No IV tubing is required with this second system. To administer an IV medication, the injection cap is punctured by a needle attached to a syringe or accessed by another delivery system.
Since two hands are generally required to perform the injections, it has been quite difficult for a patient to self-administer such injections, especially when the intravenous catheter is inserted into the patient's armor chest. In such instances, many patients require the assistance of another person to administer the medication while the patient holds the injection cap steady. In many cases the other person is a nurse. Obviously, the need for having a nurse present to assist in the administration of intravenous injections increases the patient's health care costs. In view of the objective of minimizing health care costs, it would be advantageous if the patient could self-administer the medication without the need for assistance from another person.
A need exists, therefore, for apparatus for steadying an injection cap connected to intravenous tubing or to a central venous catheter so as to allow a patient to self-inject medication through the injection cap without assistance from another person.